Photos by Robert Schneider
Recently, over 200 community members united at the Marlboro Jewish Center for Jewish National Fund-USA’s “A Night of Recognition, Rebuilding & Resilience for Israel.” Co-chaired by Beth Krinsky, Barbra London, Rabbi Michael Pont, Carly Salemme, the event honored local philanthropist Phyllis Clancy Solomon with the organization’s Hatikvah Award for her years of dedication and commitment to the land and people of Israel.
A classical pianist and former educator, Solomon has combined her love of Israel, the arts, and philanthropy through Jewish National Fund-USA for decades. She is a member of the organization’s Central New Jersey Board of Directors, as well as a founding member of its Rebuild the Envelope Task Force, and is also the Co-founder of its Central New Jersey Monmouth Middlesex Committee. Solomon also established a special fund through Jewish National Fund-USA for the Tri-Region Music Consortium, creating regional cooperation among three music conservatories in the Israel Envelope.
“I am in awe of the results of the event honoring me,” said Solomon. “It truly was inspiring to hear so many incredible advocates speaking on behalf of the vital work of Jewish National Fund-USA rebuilding and recognizing the resilience of the people of Israel. There will be music ringing throughout Shlomit because of the generosity of so many people, including many who were here tonight. The organization will always be family to me, and to be recognized as such is a memory I will cherish forever.”
Jewish National Fund-USA Chief Executive Officer Russell F. Robinson presented Solomon with the award, commending her on her monumental support of the land and people of Israel. Remarks were also given by Solomon’s granddaughter, Carly Salemme, who discussed Solomon’s influence on her as a strong Zionist leader, and praised the recent volunteer mission to Israel they took together, where Salemme received a firsthand view of the many lives her grandmother had transformed.
“My grandmother and I share a deep connection, and she has always been my inspiration and role model since I was a little girl,” said Salemme. “When I traveled to Israel with ‘Meme,’ I knew this trip was about to change my life, but what I didn’t expect was to see Israel through Meme’s eyes and the relationships she has formed with these incredible people because of Jewish National Fund-USA. I’ll never forget the never-ending hug my grandmother received once arriving at these destinations from her friends in the Israel Envelope. It was like they had been waiting for her this whole time. Seeing the connections my grandmother built with these people was truly remarkable. The love, the affection, and the commitment they had for each other truly changed my life.”
In addition, attendees heard from Yedidya Harush, an IDF Commander and Jewish National Fund-USA’s Halutza Liaison for Negev Community Development. Harush recounted the heroic efforts of his friends and neighbors fighting off Hamas terrorists in a nearby community on the Gaza border on October 7, losing friends and community members on that fateful day, and spending the last year balancing reserve duty in some of Gaza’s most dangerous areas and rebuilding his shattered community with support from Jewish National Fund-USA.
Local lay leaders also discussed how Jewish National Fund-USA is supporting Israel’s rebuilding efforts post-October 7 (jnf.org/supportisrael). Through the organization’s bold and visionary Build Together plan for Israel’s south and Reimagine plan for the north, Jewish National Fund-USA is partnering with Israelis in the region to repair, rehabilitate, and renovate damaged communities, creating secure, beautiful havens for residents to return home to. From bomb shelters and resilience centers to quality-of-life projects and critical infrastructure development, Jewish National Fund-USA is addressing the physical and psychological needs of Israelis living on Israel’s northern and southern frontiers.
“The resilience of the Jewish people throughout history is unmatched,” said Event Co-Chair Barbra London. “By all accounts, we should have vanished hundreds of years ago. Yet we are still here, and even after the horrors of October 7, we have vowed to honor those lost and reaffirm our commitment to rebuilding and restoring Israel’s south and north. We are dedicated not only to rebuilding structures and services, but to rebuilding and restoring hope.”
For more information about Jewish National Fund-USA or to learn about upcoming events in Central New Jersey, visit jnf.org or contact Anna Millstein at AMillstein@jnf.org or
973-593-0095 x826.